polymer clay and stamping

[krielj]

I have bought some tiny alphabet stamps to make a personalised gift (in polymer clay) for my daughter and grandson for Christmas. What can I use (and how do I use it!) to brush or paint over the stamped bit so that when sanded and polished, the impressed bit shows up in contrast?
Any advice welcomed!
Many thanks
Jayne

[bubbleicious]

There are lots of metalic powders compatible with polymer clay out there, not really used them myself, i have used a very fine permanent marker though. your best bet is to ask Emma (ejralph) she knows her stuff and may have some in her shop. x

[ladyluckjewellery]

I use pigment powders with polymer clay, and often stamp a word/image into the clay, then rub gently over with the powder, which leaves the imprint the original clay colour, and the raised surround the colour of the powder - if that makes sense??

You can also use acrylic paints - I haven't tried these in conjunction with stamping though.

Claire

[ejralph]

Hee hee, I heard my name ;-)

I think any dry powder type embellishments would work well for this.

It depends on the look you want really - but for metallics, the gold and copper Fimo Metallic powders (http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_32&products_id=155) would work well as they are not too translucent. You could also use Perfect pearls or glitters (http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=115) even. Being sure to work the powders right into all the nooks and crannies of the texture, then brush off any loose stuff with a soft brush.

Then, after baking, you can sand back and have the effect just showing in the recesses.

You could also do the same thing with acrylic inks, for example the Adirondack Mixatives (http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=17_138_140). Just remember acrylic paints etc don't get along well with unbaked clay now, since all the clays were reformulated. So better to paint them over baked clay, and allow a good 24 hours for them to fully dry before sanding. If painting inks etc over unbaked clay - do it straight before baking so the wet inks don't have time to react with the clay.

Another idea is to use metal foils. The imitation metal leaf probably wouldn't work so well for this technique as it tends to fracture and crackle in quite large pieces. But the Easy Transfer foil (http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_66&products_id=174) might work nicely. Just put some over the clay before stamping. Then, when baked you can sand away and leave the holographic effect just in the recesses. This could work nicely as the holographic foils tend to stretch and splinter into fine crackles, where as the metal leaf doesn't have that same elasticity.

I would very much recommend you do some test pieces first though, whatever product you end up trying, just to make sure you can get the effect you want with your stamps. Hopefully though I have given you some ideas to try out.

[krielj]

thanks so much for all the advice - I will give it a try and let you know how I get on!